Betws Yn Rhos targets bogus callers and rogue traders

Betws-yn-Rhos is the latest town in Conwy County to be designated a complete ‘cold calling controlled zone’ after Conwy Community Safety, North Wales Police and Trading Standards joined forces to eradicate rogue traders and bogus callers.

Over an eight week period, a consultation has taken place to gauge the opinions of local residents. The overall results were positive and local residents were happy to proceed with the introduction of a cold calling controlled zone in the area.

Conwy’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, Councillor Philip Evans, said: “We are extremely proud of how successful the scheme has been since its inception in 2008.

“Through dedication and hard work by all involved, we have implemented more than 1,000 cold calling controlled zones and have contributed to a significant reduction in rogue trader incidents in the County Borough.”

The scheme, run by Conwy Council Trading Standards and North Wales Police, aims to inform and empower residents to reject cold callers.

Every property in town has received a doorstep crime information pack, which has been delivered by the local Police Community Support Officers. Included in the packs is advice on how to prevent people from becoming victims of doorstep crime; contact numbers for enforcement agencies; and a doorstep crime sticker for residents to place on their properties.

Residents are encouraged to display the g sticker at the front of their property- any trader that calls at a property where this sticker is on display would be committing an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and would be investigated by Conwy Trading Standards.

The zones are ‘cold calling controlled zones’ and there are certain exemptions. People that can continue to operate within the designated zones are:

Political canvassers

Religious groups

Regular roundsmen (milkman, paperboy etc.)

Charity callers

Utilities employees collecting meter readings

Police Community Support Officer for Betws Yn Rhos, Phil Gales said, “This will send out a clear message to the rogue traders that residents in Betws Yn Rhos do not welcome cold callers. If residents experience a cold call they should record as many details about the caller as possible, including business names and report them to North Wales Police on 101 or Conwy Trading Standards on 01492 575220.”

Stickers must be clearly displayed for people to be a part of the scheme.